South Carolina football: Jalen Brooks gives LSU something to think about

South Carolina football’s Jalen Brooks can cause some unforeseen issues for the LSU defense.

South Carolina received great news on Wednesday morning, hearing that transfer wideout Jalen Brooks will be eligible for their matchup with LSU after missing the first four weeks of the season. Brooks had been awaiting word from the NCAA on his eligibility status after joining the Gamecock roster in August.

Now, he’ll suit up for his first action in the garnet and black. And his presence could have a huge effect on how the LSU defense prepares for the Gamecocks. Brooks was penciled in as a starter in preseason practice, so it can be expected that the junior will see a great deal of playing time in Baton Rouge.

It may be perfect timing for South Carolina as they look to face off against an LSU team that ranks dead last in the SEC in pass defense. Through three games, the Tigers are allowing 380.7 yards per game through the air, and that includes a 41-7 win over an outmatched Vanderbilt offense.

The Tigers have allowed 10 passes of 30 or more yards, all of which came either versus Mississippi State or Missouri. Both of those teams posted 400-yard passers, too, with Mississippi State’s KJ Costello throwing for an SEC record 623 yards in week one.

The Gamecocks are desperate for weapons at the wide receiver position. Brooks can become that playmaker for the South Carolina offense, and we’ll show you why his playing on Saturday will influence the outcome of the week five matchup.

TAKES PRESSURE OFF OF SHI SMITH

Shi Smith has single-handedly led the Carolina passing attack. Over four games thus far, he’s tallied 34 catches. Quarterback Collin Hill has completed just 84 passes on the season, meaning Smith’s accounting for 40% of the production in that category. He’s also hauled in three of Hill’s four touchdown tosses.

Tailbacks and tight ends have pulled in another 37 passes, meaning Gamecock receivers not named Smith have totaled just 13 receptions on the year.

Brooks can provide the Gamecocks with another proven option at wideout to take some of the pressure off of the Hill-to-Smith connection.

FLEXIBILITY AND LINEUP VARIATIONS

Having Brooks as an option on the outside can also allow Shi Smith to line up in different areas in the offense. Through his first three seasons, Smith played primarily in the slot, where he excelled. He’s been forced to shift outside as the number one option this season due to lack of depth.

But with Brooks in the lineup, we could see him and Xavier Legette in the X and Y spots, while Smith is able to set up inside and possibly create some mismatches with the LSU defense.

Having the option to move Smith around formations could help him find some matchups with defensive backs other than LSU’s All-American corner Derek Stingley.

PROVIDES A DEEP THREAT

The Gamecocks have done a pretty efficient job of moving the chains and keeping the offense on the field. But one thing that’s been missing is the big play. Part of that is due to not having a deep threat in the receiving corps.

South Carolina thought Xavier Legette might step into that role, and he does have the team’s longest reception of the season at 42 yards, but he’s been largely inconsistent.

Much of the offensive production has come on dinks and dunks to backs and ends, evidenced by Collin Hill’s 6.3 yards an attempt, which ranks 11th in the Southeastern Conference. Shi Smith has been more of a possession receiver, as have Nick Muse and Josh Vann. The group has yet to really find that big play threat.

Brooks, who stands 6-foot-3 and runs a sub-4.5 40-yard dash, should provide the Gamecocks with an option to take the top off of opposing defenses. At Wingate, Brooks totaled 1,048 yards on just 52 catches, an average of more than 20 yards a reception. His presence alone should give the LSU secondary something to think about.

OPENS UP THE RUN GAME

Piggybacking on the point above, having a threat over the top could help loosen up the LSU defense. With only Smith in the lineup, the Tigers could be inclined to stick Stingley on the Gamecocks’ top receiver and use the rest of the defense to focus on a productive Carolina run game.

But with Brooks lining up outside, Tiger defensive backs will need to be weary of the deep ball. Ensuring defenders aren’t stacking the box should provide some room for Kevin Harris, the SEC’s third leading rusher, to get loose. And if the run game is able to get going, the play-action pass can be heavily utilized.

The Gamecocks will continue to get Brooks prepared for a 7 PM road matchup with LSU on Saturday.